1. 130 – 202 AD Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons 130 – 202 AD

2. Irenaeus’ Theodicy 130 – 202 AD Irenaeus’ Theodicy 130 – 202 AD A Christian response to the Problem of Evil and connections with Free Will Main points: World was not made perfect / evil has a valuable role in God’s plan for us (soul making)

3. Central Features of theodicy God’s aim was to make us perfect like him This perfection must develop over time God gave us free choice to develop perfection Genuine free choice requires the real potential for evil through disobedience Therefore the natural order had to be created with a real potential for evil = imperfect world God cannot compromise our freedom by removing evil Eventually evil and suffering will be overcome and everyone will develop into God’s likeness – in heaven This justifies temporary evil.

4. ‘How, if we had no knowledge of the contrary, could we have instruction in that which is good?’ Irenaeus

5. IRENAEUS: A summary Suffering is allowed by God, but not directly caused by God. God created an imperfect universe. Suffering is for our own benefit – so we might learn & mature Suffering is like a sort of therapy Suffering is caused by a misuse of free will God will put an end to suffering one day when we are all fully mature Suffering can end when we learn from evil and develop; intellectually, morally and personally into God’s likeness

6. Criticisms of the theodicy 1. The concept of Heaven for all seems unjust – what of punishment for the unrighteous? This makes moral behaviour pointless (no incentive). 2. Quantity and severity of suffering – many examples e.g., Holocaust, child abuse, seems excessive for the purpose of ‘soul-building’. 3. Suffering as an expression of God’s love – we cannot justify hurting someone to help them? A) Think of further criticisms…………. B) How might each of the criticisms be defended?

7. Comparison with Augustine Augustine – God is not responsible for evil Irenaeus – God partly responsible for evil Augustine – evil seems to appear from know- where in a perfect world of perfect people Irenaeus – evils’ presence is uncontroversial, because the world and people in it were not perfect to begin with Both – refer to Free Will as the source of evil Augustine – freedom leads to a fall from grace Irenaeus – freedom & evil allow for growth

8. Modern additions to the theodicy – John Hick Goodness developed through free choice is more valuable than that developed as ‘robots’. God wanted humans to be genuinely loving. Requirements for human development; 1. To be created imperfect 2. To be distanced from God ‘epistemic distance’ 3. To exist in a world that is not a paradise Gods purpose would not be possible without these. C) Why are each of these criteria requirements?

9. Our world is not ‘designed for the maximisation of human pleasure and the minimisation of human pain, it may nevertheless be rather well adapted to the quite different purpose of ‘soul-making’.’ John Hick; Philosophy of Religion